DPS24 MKII Digital Personal Studio Tired of having your computer slam on your brakes with RAM shortages or CPU overload? It's time to get back to the reliability of a dedicated hardware studio environment. The best sounding integrated system in price range, the Akai Professional DPS24 MKII Digital Personal Studio combines a 24-track 24-bit hard disk recorder/editor, a 46-channel automated digital mixer with a complete studio monitoring section, 4 stereo effects processors with FX library, a programmable patchbay and a mastering suite with built-in CD-RW drive, in one extremely powerful desktop unit. The DPS24 MKII adds 5.1 surround mixing to its already impressive list of features.

With its generous complement of dedicated keys, rotary encoders, and motorized faders, the DPS24 MKII's tactile user interface provides direct access to all commonly used functions, without requiring that you cursor your way through endless menus and peer at countless LCD pages just to make some small but significant adjustment.

Its custom real-time multitasking operating system and dedicated hardware saves you from the headaches of computer-based configurations, conflicts and crashes. Ease-of-use and reliability are the keys of the DPS24 MKII.

However, the DPS24 MKII also communicates very well with computer systems: complete audio import/export features are included, using standard Data CD and Hard disk formats, and the free akSys TrackView software allows you to view your projects on a large monitor, see waveforms scrolling across the screen and see detailed metering with a simple USB connection to your PC. The display also shows timecode, edit points and locate markers, track names/status and more. The free akSysServer utility can also be used to transfer files to/from your DPS24 MKII and PC via USB.

The DPS24 MKII digital studio is comparable to a component system, but in a box. For instance, the recorder/editor offers as many track keys as physical tracks (i.e. 24) and you can seamlessly punch-in/out individual tracks on-the-fly. It features sample accurate audio editing with sample accurate waveform display and analog-like multitrack audio scrubbing thanks to its dedicated jog/shuttle wheel, including varispeed and reverse playback. Both nondestructive copy/paste editing and off-line DSP functions such as timestretch and pitchshift are provided.

As another example, the digital mixer uses professional 100mm touch-sensitive motorized faders for easy and accurate control of the dynamic automation, which supports overwrite, auto-drop, return and trim modes.

Apart from the obvious requirements you would expect from a digital studio (but so rarely get!), it's the small details that also make the DPS24 MKII unique in its field. Things like MAIN/NEARFIELD and MONO monitoring switchable from the front panel for 'reference checking' a mix, STUDIO outputs with built-in talkback for talent 'cue mix', direct ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) inputs to connect outboard preamps bypassing the internal input stage, etc.

The MXL 993 microphone is engineered with transformerless FET circuitry and a gold diaphragm capsule design to deliver the dynamic range required in the most demanding instrument microphone applications. It has a silky, open sound with a 20Hz-20kHz frequency range, 10dB switchable attenuation, selectable -10dB low-frequency roll-off, and large brass enclosure. It's perfect for guitar and overhead drum miking. Includes deluxe carrying case and mounting clip.

Loudspeakers have difficulty working with the electronic signals supplied by an amplifier. These difficulties cause such major phase and amplitude distortion that the sound reproduced by the speaker differs significantly from the sound produced by the original source.In the past, these problems proved unsolvable and were thus relegated to a position of secondary importance in audio system design. However, phase and amplitude integrity is essential to accurate sound reproduction. Research shows that the information which the listener translates into the recognizable characteristics of a live performance are intimately tied into complex time and amplitude relationships between the fundamental and harmonic components of a given musical note or sound. These relationships define a sound's "sound".When these complex relationships pass through a speaker, the proper order is lost. The higher frequencies are delayed. A lower frequency may reach the listener's ear first or perhaps simultaneously with that of a higher frequency. In some cases, the fundamental components may be so time-shifted that they reach the listener's ear ahead of some or all of the harmonic components.This change in the phase and amplitude relationship on the harmonic and fundamental frequencies is technically called "envelope distortion." The listener perceives this loss of sound integrity in the reproduced sound as "muddy" and "smeared." In the extreme, it can become difficult to tell the difference between musical instruments, for example, an oboe and a clarinet.BBE Sound, Inc. conducted extensive studies of numerous speaker systems over a ten year period. With this knowledge, it became possible to identify the characteristics of an ideal speaker and to distill the corrections necessary to return the fundamental and harmonic frequency structures to their correct order. While there are differences among various speaker designs in the magnitude of their correction, the overall pattern of correction needed is remarkably consistent.The BBE Process is so unique that 42 patents have been awarded by the U.S. Patent Office.

Fostex PM0.5 MKII Active Nearfield Studio Monitors Fostex employs the latest cone material technology to obtain extremely pure music reproduction with the PM0.5 MKII Active Studio Monitors. Biamplification provides 40W to the 5" LF drivers and 18W to the extremely responsive 3/4" soft-dome tweeters. With the MKII upgrades, the tweeters are now a one-piece assembly with a redesigned damper to eliminate interference for clearer high-frequency response, and the cabinets sport a high-gloss piano black finish on their front. The compact speaker cabinets are specially designed to eliminate unwanted resonance and incorporate a long bass port for deep and accurate low-frequency response.

The carefully tuned enclosures and circuitry produce great full range performance with exceptional neutrality even at high SPLs. The LF driver cones are made from cut-and-milled aromatic polyamide fibers that are simultaneously resin-impregnated to achieve high rigidity and optimum damping. The cones also have an olefin film thermally adhered to their surface to control frequency response and to ensure long-term reliability. Resin-impregnated cellulose dust caps cover voice coils made of high-purity copper wire to achieve extremely low distortion. Each soft dome tweeter uses UFLC (Poly Urethane Film Laminated Cloth) technology for lightweight and quality performance. Each amplifier is precisely calibrated to match the performance capability of its driver.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50 studio monitor headphones

With the ATH-M50 professional studio monitor headphones, Audio-Technica has achieved an exceptionally accurate response and long-wearing listening comfort. Designed especially for professional monitoring and mixing, these studiophones feature an efficient collapsible design for space-saving portability and storage. Circumaural ear pieces swivel 180 for easy one-ear monitoring and luxuriously padded ear cushions create an outstanding seal for maximum isolation. The adjustable headband is generously padded for ultimate comfort during long mixing sessions. A coiled cable at the left earpiece terminates to a gold-plated mini plug with included screw-on 1/4" adapter.